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Setting the record straight on balanced energy policies
I am the President of Local 132 of the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO (UWUA). I represent over 4,000 men and women working throughout Southern California to provide safe, affordable, responsive and environmentally responsible natural gas to over 20 million Californians, nearly 6 million households, and one of the largest concentrations of industrial, logistical and commercial activities in the world.

Arizona lawmakers advance bill to preserve natural-gas hookups to new homes
Arizona lawmakers are advancing a measure that would protect the natural-gas industry by preventing municipalities from banning gas hookups for new buildings, which has been done in some states to address climate change.

California’s Solar Panel Mandate Only Worsens the Housing Crisis
Diversifying our sources of energy provides a variety of benefits, such as greater reliability and lower carbon emissions. While a new mandate for residential solar panels in California represents a step towards diversification the regulations shift the financial burden onto the state’s poorest residents.

SF bans natural gas in new city buildings, plans all construction ban
San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to ban gas appliances in new and significantly renovated city buildings. It’s just the beginning, officials say: The board also passed a law to give incentives for all-electric construction, paving the way for a possible gas ban in all new buildings this year.

California launches rulemaking to manage transition away from natural gas
The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday launched a new rulemaking to regulate the state’s transition away from natural gas, addressing issues related to stranded assets and unfair cost shifts among ratepayers.

To Fight Climate Change, One City May Ban Heating Homes With Natural Gas
Seeking to do their part to avert climate change, dozens of cities are exploring ways to limit natural gas heating in new homes. One city may also require existing homeowners to make a switch.

My Turn: What was left out of a column on heat pumps
I agree that reducing emissions and fighting climate change ought to be top priorities, but taking away consumers’ ability to choose low-cost, clean natural gas doesn’t help us save the planet.

California faces a crossroads on the path to 100% clean energy
Bill Brand spent two decades fighting to get the waterfront power plant in Redondo Beach torn down and replaced with a public park. Until recently, he was sure he had won.

Los Angeles wants to build a hydrogen-fueled power plant. It’s never been done before
As Los Angeles weans itself off the last of its coal-generated electricity, the city needs to replace that fuel with a climate-polluting natural gas plant in Utah, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power staff insisted Tuesday.

Should Cities Phase Out Gas Appliances and Require New Buildings to Be All Electric?
Local governments seeking to combat climate change have set their sights on a new target: homes and businesses that burn natural gas for things like heating and cooking.

Elimination of Natural Gas Could Cost Consumers
Before Culver City rushes headlong into following the City of Berkeley and eliminating natural gas hookups from residential buildings, it should carefully consider the consequences.
In particular, for a city so concerned with social justice and equity issues, the economic impact of mandated electrification on its most vulnerable community members could be severe.

Democrats move to take 100% clean energy push national with new bill
A number of states, including Hawaii, California and New York, have adopted varying forms of 100% clean energy goals. Now, Democrats in Congress want to take such goals national and across the whole economy

CRA files suits against City of Berkeley over natural gas ban
Earlier this year, the City of Berkeley banned natural gas infrastructure — effectively banning natural gas use — in newly-constructed buildings. The ban, which violates both state and federal law, will impact both residential and commercial construction, and will have uniquely negative impacts on restaurants. The CRA is acting to protect the interests of its members.

Restaurant group sues over Berkeley’s natural gas ban
California’s restaurant industry sued the city of Berkeley on Thursday, arguing in court papers that its ban on natural gas in buildings will harm eateries by increasing costs and preventing them from preparing many sought-after ethnic delicacies.

Restaurant group sues over Berkeley’s natural gas ban
Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas in new construction may end up eroding the region’s reputation for fine and creative dining, according to a California trade association suing the city on behalf of restaurants.

Opinion: Is banning natural gas an ‘antidote to climate change’?
As governments in California increasingly consider limiting new residential natural gas connections, it is important to question whether banning natural gas is an “antidote to climate change”.

Santa Rosa moves forward on plan to ban natural gas in new homes
Starting in early 2020, plans for most new Santa Rosa homes likely won’t include natural gas stoves, fireplaces, furnaces and water heaters. The Santa Rosa City Council on Tuesday voted 6-0 to require the exclusive use of electric appliances in most new residential construction below four stories.

Energy choice matters: Tracy Hernandez
While Berkeley and San Luis Obispo have gotten a lot of media attention for phasing out natural gas in new home construction, little attention has been paid to the 106 California local governments that have adopted smart resolutions to keep energy choice for affordable reliable heating, cooling, and cooking in our homes. That’s right, 106 local governments are opposed to eliminating natural gas in new construction. In total, they represent nearly 6.9 million people—close to 20 percent of Californians.

These San Gabriel Valley Restaurant Owners Think Giving Up Gas Stoves Will Make Their Food Mushy
In the kitchen of Shanghailander Palace in Arcadia, chef Chun Lei tosses raw shrimp into a wide wok bubbling noisily with oil. BAM! A sizzling thunderclap. Flames shoot out from under the wok. The shrimp turns a lovely pink.

With California’s high power rates, will all-electric homes be affordable?
California has some of the highest average residential electric rates in the country, but average monthly bills are among the lowest because homes in the Golden State use less electricity than those in most other states.

Tesla subject of new NHTSA probe over battery software update
Earlier this year, owners of 2012-2019 Tesla Model S and Model X electric cars received an over-the-air software update that was meant to address battery management systems. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to know if Tesla should have recalled the cars for a potential defect.

How ‘Climate Week’ Completely Missed The Boat On Natural Gas
As a cleaner, more flexible, and more reliable fuel that supports intermittent wind and solar power, Natural gas is a centerpiece of climate and energy strategies put forth, including under President Obama Incredibly, Climate Week in New York City did not have a single “Energy Transition” event that focused on gas. We know that this is a terrible missed opportunity because the surge in U.S. gas use has the country leading the world in CO2 reduction.

These San Gabriel Valley Restaurant Owners Think Giving Up Gas Stoves Will Make Their Food Mushy
In the kitchen of Shanghailander Palace in Arcadia, chef Chun Lei tosses raw shrimp into a wide wok bubbling noisily with oil. BAM! A sizzling thunderclap. Flames shoot out from under the wok. The shrimp turns a lovely pink. Cooking with gas is dramatic, sweaty, and part of the rhythm in the fabled kitchens of San Gabriel Valley’s Chinese restaurants. But some chefs like Lei worry that days of the gas stove could be numbered.

The next target in the climate-change debate: your gas stove
Dozens of cities in liberal-leaning states such as California, Washington, and Massachusetts are studying proposals to ban or limit the use of natural gas in commercial and residential buildings. The movement opens a new front in the fight against climate change that could affect everything from heating systems in skyscrapers to stoves in suburban homes.

Más de 20 empresas hispanas expusieron lo mejor de sí en una convención anual en Los Ángeles
El evento, llamado Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, se llevó a cabo del 25 al 27 de agosto en el Centro de Convenciones de Los Ángeles. Sabor Latino, Avosalc, Mama Cheesecake y La Bufadora Baja Grill fueron algunas de las compañías que participaron en la exposición.

Push to Move From Gas to Electric Raises Concern for Restaurants
A new push to try and move California away from natural gas onto electric is having an impact on restaurants. The gas burners at Pez Cantina in Downtown LA are igniting just before the lunch rush. Bret Thompson at Pez Cantina in downtown L.A. has been cooking for 22 years, and has been a chef for 15.

Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas
Another chunk of Kern County’s economy — natural gas production — has come under threat from California’s efforts to “decarbonize” buildings across the state as a way of helping achieve Sacramento’s greenhouse-gas reduction goals.

A California city is banning natural gas appliances in new homes. Will other U.S. communities follow?
First went the plastic straws. Then, single-use plastic grocery bags. In Berkeley, Calif., restaurants will soon be required to offer only compostable packaging for patrons, and Styrofoam has been banned in the city since 1988.

Artificially limiting our natural resources
Earlier this week, supporters (and some protesting opponents) of natural gas gathered at a conference in Riverside to discuss California’s move to become a zero-emission state, spurred by the 2018 signing of Senate Bill 1477, aimed at making California homes and businesses “near-zero emissions.”

Berkeley’s ban on natural gas is an overreaction to climate change
First, California produces about 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Forcing people to switch to all-electric homes will have an insignificant effect on climate change but will cost billions of dollars to retrofit older homes and purchase electric appliances. There is no consideration of what the carbon footprint is for that change, because, let’s be honest, all those new appliances and changes have an impact.
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